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Blue Hen Defense Continues To Dominate
 in 42-0 Atlantic 10 Win over Northeastern

Sept. 30, 2000

 

NEWARK, DE -- The University of Delaware defense continued to dominate, posting its fourth straight shutout at home with a 42-0 Atlantic 10 Conference football victory over Northeastern Saturday afternoon at Delaware Stadium.

The No. 8 ranked Blue Hens (5-0, 2-0 Atlantic 10), off to their best start since 1995, made it a long day for the Huskies (3-2, 0-2), holding them to just seven first downs and 191 total yards. Delaware has now won all eight meetings in the series.

Brian McKenna
The Blue Hens, the nation's third ranked defense (5.3 points and 168.7 yards per game), shut out their second straight opponent and posted their fourth straight shutout at home since last season, the longest streak in UD history since 1931. The Blue Hens have now gone 248 minutes since allowing a point at home since Massachusetts scored in the final quarter of a 26-19 loss last Oct. 23. The Hens' offense has now outscored its three opponents at home by a combined score of 164-0 this season.

"We are just delighted with our defense," said Delaware head coach Tubby Raymond. "We've played five games and we still haven't allowed a touchdown rushing. That's pretty impressive. If you can do that you are certainly accomplishing something. And we keep improving."

Delaware junior halfback Butter Pressey led the way offensively for the Hens, rushing for a career-high 161 yards and one touchdown. He went over the 1,000-yard mark for his career in the opening quarter. He helped the UD offense pile up 519 total yards, including 372 on the ground.

James O'Neal
Senior fullback James O'Neal rushed for 61 yards and a score and quarterback Matt Nagy hit on 8 of 18 passes for 147 yards and added scoring passes of 56 yards to Jamin Elliott on the opening drive of the game and a 32-yard scoring toss to Craig Cummings with 1:52 left in the first half.

The Hens capped the scoring with two touchdowns in the final quarter as offensive tackle Jeff Dodge recovered a Butch Patrick fumble in the end zone with 13:30 let to play and freshman Antawn Jenkins scored on a one-yard dive with 10:05 left to play.

Delaware senior linebacker Brian McKenna led the defense with 11 tackles and an interception.

Northeastern, coming off a 35-27 win over NCAA I-AA Connecticut, could never get its offense in gear. After gaining their fifth first down in the first quarter, the Huskies did not gain another until the fourth quarter. Northeastern had two good chances to score but were stopped each time, failing to get a 41-yard field goal off due to a bad snap and failing on a fourth and one at the Delaware 18-yard line with 2:06 left in the third quarter.

"This is the best defense we've seen by far this season," said Northeastern first year head coach Don Brown. "We couldn't get much done against them. They just wore us down."

Northeastern quarterback Logan Galli hit on 12 of 32 passes for 97 yards. Record-setting receiver Dave Klemic was held to just three catches for 36 yards. Halfback L.J. McKanas, who rushed for 225 yards in the win over Connecticut, was held to just 41 yards on 15 carries.

 

AGATE:

 

Northeastern......0......0.....0.....0......0
Delaware..........14.....7.....7...14.....42

1st Quarter
DEL - Elliott 56 pass from Nagy (Collins kick), 12:29 remaining
DEL - Pressey 2 run (Collins kick), 2:44

2nd Quarter
DEL - Cummings 32 pass from Nagy (Collins kick), 1:52

3rd Quarter
DEL - O'Neal 2 run (Collins kick), 8:04

4th Quarter
DEL - Dodge fumble recovery in end zone (Collins kick), 13:30
DEL - Jenkins 1 run (Collins ), 10:05

Attendance: 17,811

TEAM STATISTICS............NU................DEL
First Downs...................................7.......................24
Rushes-Yards..........................29-94.................53-372
Passing Yards..............................97......................147
Passes.................................33-12-1..................18-8-3
Total Yards..............................191.......................519
Fumbles-lost.............................1-0........................2-0
Penalties-yards....................10-120......................5-50
Punts-Average....................10-38.5...................4-42.5
Return Yards...........................107.........................52
Possession Time....................27:57.....................32:03
3rd Down Conversions............3-17......................7-13

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS: - RUSHING - Northeastern: McKanas 15-41, Gale 11-28, Mack 1-20, Galli 2-5. Delaware: Pressey 18-161, O'Neal 13-66, Patrick 3-61, Cummings 9-60, Jenkins 5-25, Veach 1-7, Howard 1-1, Postlethwait 2-(-2), Bennett 1-(-7); PASSING - Northeastern: Galli 12-32-97-1, Browne 0-1-0-0; Delaware: Nagy 8-18-147-3; RECEIVING Northeastern: Klemic 3-26, Mack 2-26, Alsup 2-23, Philcox 2-6, Delgado 1-15, Connor 1-5, McKanas 1-(-4); Delaware: Elliott 2-66, Pressey 2-16, Cummings 1-32, Veach 1-14, O'Neal 1-11, Penecale 1-8.

 

- DDD -